Home to unique minority groups, beautiful landscapes and an expertly marketed tourism industry, Yunnan Provence is on almost everyone’s Southern China itinerary. We first spent about a week between Lijiang and Dali, two beautifully “preserved” ancient cities. Note: Preservation in China often means knocking down the old stuff and rebuilding so it’s new and shiny. Lijiang is the center of the Naxi minority culture and has twisting cobblestone streets lined with willow trees, streams and bridges. For us, it was a special place, despite the fact most of the city has been turned into a shopping mall by day, karaoke bar by night. Dali was similar but with less charm and more drug dealers in the form of elderly Bai women.
So the old cities were beautiful and we learned about minority cultures…blah, blah, blah. None of it compared to Tiger Leaping Gorge. All the guidebooks and stories didn’t do it justice (neither will I). Essentially, it’s the biggest fucking gorge in the world, where colossal mountains drop straight down 3900m (2.4 miles) on both sides into a rushing river below. At certain points during the two-day trek, you wander along the slope staring at an impossibly huge rock face dropping into the river, which appears as a tiny line of water far below. Other times, you stand at water’s edge where looking up gives you instant vertigo from the unnatural scale before you. It is also notoriously dangerous for taking the lives of several unlucky tourists every year – as it nearly took mine. Let’s start that story from the beginning:
At the end of the trek, you can pay a little extra to descend on a path built by local people to the waters edge. Take it – it is the best part of the whole experience. After climbing straight down for an hour, we were stunned by massive rock faces on either side and the turbulent river up close and personal. We hiked to the center of the gorge where Tiger Leaping Rock juts out into the water and provides an unparalleled viewing point. The path leading out to it is pretty hairy, as you have to hop along large rocks with only a thin wire railing separating you from the river. Even worse, it was late in the rainy season and parts are randomly submerged as the rushing water surges up. Neither this nor the posted warning sign deterred me.
Making my way carefully, I scurried along the path when the water subsided and took refuge on high rocks when it came in. Given the sheer volume and force of the water, it was clear that if I fell in I would not make it out of alive, Suddenly, I hit a slippery section when my guard was down and lost my footing. My feet flew out from under me and I cracked my head on the slick boulder, momentum carrying me into the river. At the last second, my flailing arms grabbed hold of the little wire railing, and right before I went in, I pulled myself to safety. With blood streaming down my face from a head gash, I sat down and collected myself thinking how motherfucking stupid and lucky I just was at the same time. After I got back to Kim, she was badly shaken, crying and sure she had almost lost me. I’d never seen her more upset.
It was at this point that I decided to fully read the sign I had walked past earlier. “As the season wears on the water level increases, the waves are extremely powerful. Please do not climb on any of the rocks here, their surface is very slippery. This river took the lives of two tourists as well as a local person who tried to save him. We do not want to see this happen again, please listen to our advice. Best wishes for a safe and awe inspiring journey” Maybe next time I’ll read warning signs more carefully.
And you wonder why I was (and am) always nervous when you went off exploring? It’s a good thing your head is as hard as it is being banged around so much.
Love you.
Mom
Mom is going to be so pissed dumb-ass show off. glad you are alive though! Love you Than!
Jen Jen
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: BE CAREFUL, KIDS! So glad you’re okay. XO
wow guys. stay safe. i’m glad you’re ok.